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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH 



FOOD -WHAT rr IS AND WHAT 

IT DOES 



IIkvised Edition 




BOSTON 

WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS 

32 DERNE STREET 

1920 



Publication of this Document 

approved by the 
Supervisor of Administration. 



LMkRi OF CONGf^£SS 

FEB2S1921 

BdouMENTS Division 






3 



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FOOD -WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES. 



By Alzira Wentworth Sandwall, S.B., Health Instructor on Foods, 
Department of Public Health. 



Classification of Tissue-building Foods. 









Dietary 










Minerals. 


Essentials or 




Food pro- 






Vitamines. 




viding Bulk 


Protein. 


Carbohydrates, 


Regulating 
Foods. 

Teeth and 
Bone- 
forming 
Foods. 






or Cellulose. 




Fats and Oils. 


Growth pro- 






Tissue- 




moting Foods; 


Water. 


Helps 


building 


Heat and Energy 


also help to 




to prevent 


Food. 


Forming Foods. 


maintain Health 




Constipation 






and make Body 




and aids 






resistant to 




Digestion. 








Disease. 






1. Animal 


]. Carbohy- 


Milk. 


1. Fat-soluble 


Purifies body. 


Fruits. 


Kingdom. 


drates. 


Eggs. 


A. 


Regulates tem- 


Vegetables. 


Milk. 


(a) Foods provid- 


Vegetables, 


Milk fat. 


perature. 


Cereals and 


Cheese. 


ing starch. 


especially 


Egg-yolk fat. 


Needed in 


coarse breads. 


Eggs. 


Potatoes. 


green vege- 


Leaf vegetables, 


every tissue 




Lean meat. 


Rice. 


tables. 


such as greens, 


and fluid of 




Fish. 


Hominy. 


Fruits, both 


cabbage, cauli- 


the body. 






Cereals and their 


fresh and 


flower, etc. 






2. Vegetable 


products. 


dried. 


Animal organs of 






Kingdom. 


Macaroni. 


Cereals. 


secretion, such 






Peas. 


Spaghetti. 




as liver, kidneys. 






Beans. 












Lentils. 


(b) Foods provid- 




2. Water-sol- 






Nuts. 


ing sugars. 




uble B. 






Cereals. 


Sugars. 

Syrups. 

Honey. 

Molasses. 

Jellies. 

Fruits. 

Sweet vegetables. 

2. Fats and Oils. 
Butter. 
Cream. 
Olive oil. 
Bacon. 
Salt pork. 
Oleomargarine. 
Nut margarine. 
Peanut butter. 
Other edible fats 
and oils. 




All natural foods. 
Not found in 

commercial 

sugar or starch. 
Fat from animal 

or vegetable 

kingdoms. 

3. Antiscorbutic 
C. 

Fresh fruits and 
vegetables. 

Note. — Oranges, 
tomatoes, cab- 
bages and onions 
are especially 
rich in anti- 
scorbutic C. 







The work done here and in other countries has proven conclusively 
that hardly any factor plays so important a part in determining the 
physical fitness of man as the food he eats. 

This physical fitness is reflected in his mental powers and character, 
and upon these are based the destiny of nations. 



Probably in no other direction can a better work be done for the 
health and welfare of a people than by arousing them to a full realiza- 
tion of the close relation of food to health, and by a wide diffusion of 
correct information about the feeding of a family. 

Body a Living Machine. 
We must keep clearly in mind that the body is a living machine, 
and that the food we eat provides the sole material for its construction 
and repair and fuel for running it. 

Materials which compose the Body. 

The materials which compose the body are made up of sixteen or 
seventeen different elements, — namely, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, 
nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, 
sodium, chlorine, iodine, silicon, manganese and fluorine. 

If the baby is to grow to be a man, and a man is to keep healthy 
and at uniform weight, he must take all of these substances into his 
body in the food he eats. 

We must know, then, what foods to eat to include these substances, 
and just what part each plays in the formation of a healthy body. 

For convenience, let us group the foods as those which build and 
repair the body, those which supply fuel and power for work, those 
which regulate the body processes, and those which maintain health 
and promote growth. 

Building Foods. 

The foods which contain nitrogen are the foods which build and 
repair the body. Nitrogen is needed for the construction of muscular 
tissue, and is necessary to the life of every active cell in the body. A 
child cannot grow and form strong muscles without nitrogen, and an 
adult cannot keep in good health without it. 

The foods which contain nitrogen are called protein foods, the term 
"protein" being derived from a Greek word meaning "first." Protein 
foods have been given the first place in the diet because they contain 
the sole supply of nitrogen for the body. 

The protein foods, or foods containing nitrogen, are milk, eggs, 
cheese, meat and fish from the animal kingdom, and peas, beans, 
lentils, cereals and nuts from the vegetable kingdom. These foods are 
not, however, equally valuable as builders, for the term protein stands 
for a union of seventeen different substances, all of which are necessary 
to the body. All seventeen of these are found in the animal protein, 
but the vegetable proteins are more or less incomplete, and should not 



be used as the sole building material; but vegetable protein, together 
with milk, forms an excellent combination. 

The best building foods are those provided by nature for the growth 
of the young, — namely, milk and eggs. No other food can equal milk 
for this purpose. Its protein is from three to six times more valuable 
than that in any other food. Milk should be thought of in terms of 
health, and should be the first food to be purchased and the last to be 
dispensed with. 

The protein foods are not only building foods, but can be used also 
as a source of fuel. When used for building purposes, the nitrogen 
is retained to form new body protein, but when used as a fuel, the 
nitrogen is eliminated as quickly as possible, and appears in the kid- 
neys within a few hours. Excess nitrogen cannot be stored up in the 
body. 

As a fuel food protein is expensive, is a tax on the kidneys, and 
since it is also very heating and stimulating it is a mistake to make a 
meal, or the greater part of a meal, from protein-rich dishes. 

Energy-producing Foods. 

What shall we eat to give us the energy or power to carry on our 
work in the world, and to give the body the power to carry on its 
processes? And what shall we eat to keep the furnace fires of the body 
burning? 

The foods which give energy and furnish heat are the starchy foods, 
such as breads, cereals, potato, macaroni, etc., the sugars and fats and 
oils. 

The starches and sugars are grouped together and known as the 
carbohydrates. 

Starch. 
Starch is one of the cheapest sources of energy, but in order to get 
full value from the starchy foods they must be properly cooked. 
Unless starch is thoroughly cooked it will not be completely digested. 
Cereals cannot be properly cooked in half an hour, but require from 
one to three hours, depending upon the kind of cereal. The cooked 
cereals are one of the best fuel foods, and should always be included 
in the daily dietary of the child. 

Sugar. 
Sugar is one of our best energy-producing foods, and is of great 
value as a flavor food. It should not be taken in excess, and should be 
used wisely. Too much concentrated sugar is irritating to the digestive 



6 

tract and causes indigestion. If sweets are taken in excess, the appe- 
tite will be so satiated that other foods will be refused. A great 
craving for sweets often indicates an insufficient diet or a perverted 
taste due to wrong food habits. Highly sweetened foods should not be 
given to young children. In thinking of sugar, let us remember that 
sugar can be adequately supplied without using cane sugar. It is 
present in milk and in sweet fruits and vegetables in an easily digested 
form, and all starch is changed to sugar in the process of digestion. 

Amount of Starch and Sugar required Daily. 

The amount of starch and sugar required daily is governed by the 
amount of muscular energy exerted by the individual. Generally 
speaking, from one-fourth to one-sixth of the total calories should be 
provided by these foods, and will be furnished if three portions rich in 
sugar and nine rich in starch are served daily. 

Whenever more sugar or starch is taken than the system demands, 
the excess is changed to fat and stored up in the body. 

Fats and Oils. 
The importance of fat in the diet cannot be overestimated. It does 
not build and repair, but yields heat and energy. It has also, like 
sugar, a decided dietetic value as a flavor food. This quality should 
not be disregarded, for flavor is the soul of food and has a marked 
effect on good digestion. The most easily digested fats are the un- 
cooked fats, such as butter and cream, and next in order ranks 
properly cooked bacon. Fat that is heated to a high temperature, and 
food so cooked in fat that a large amount is absorbed, is very difficult 
to digest. If sufficient heat for the body and energy for the muscles 
are obtained from the starches and sugars, whatever fat has been taken 
into the system with the meal will not be consumed, but will be stored 
up in the body in the form of fat. 

Oleomargarine versus Butter. 
The question often arises as to whether it is as well to substitute 
oleomargarine for butter. Milk fat contains certain peculiar character- 
istics which make it necessary to the diet, especially that of young 
children and invalids. The best grade of oleomargarine which contains 
from one-fourth to one-third part butter fat may be substituted for 
butter if enough whole milk is included in the diet, but the best plan 
is to use butter for the children and invalids, and oleomargarine or 
butter substitutes for cooking and for the other members of the 
family. 



Regulating Foods — the Minerals. 

So much, then, for the foods which build and repair and for those 
which give us heat and energy, but what about the foods which regu- 
late the body processes? These are the minerals, such as iron, sulphur, 
calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine and iodine. These 
substances not only form the chief building material for the bones and 
the teeth, but help regulate the body processes. They keep the blood 
neutral, maintain the regularity of the heart beat, give the nerves and 
muscles their ready response to impulse, and help maintain nervous 
equilibrium. They are necessary in all the digestive juices, help keep 
the eyes and hair in good condition and increase the resistance to 
disease. 

These substances might be likened to the oil used in machinery. 
They help to make the body function properly, and in so doing make 
for serenity of mind. 

It is easy to see that any lack of these important food substances 
will be followed by serious results to the health of the individual. 
Such a lack is shown in the lusterless eye, lack of energy, irritability, 
anemia, rickets, etc. 

Foods containing Minerals. 

Minerals are found in varying amounts in nearly all foods, but those 
particularly rich in these salts are fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs and 
cereals. Milk is one of our best sources of mineral, being especially 
valuable for its lime or calcium. In the diet for growing children 
plenty of mineral is required for the correct development of bones and 
teeth. This is especially true during the ages of two and three, when 
the second teeth are being formed. Lack of sufficient mineral at this 
time may mean poor teeth and faulty bone formation. In order to 
keep enough mineral in the diet of the child he should have milk daily, 
a quart if possible, or at least two glasses; also some fruit, and some 
vegetable besides potato. The green vegetables should be given at least 
twice a week. 

Cooking of Mineral Foods. 

We must remember, too, that minerals are soluble in water, and if 
the vegetables which are valued chiefly for their minerals are cooked 
or soaked in water, and the water thrown away, much of the mineral 
will be lost. It is always best to steam or bake vegetables, or to cook 
them in their jackets. If they are pared and cooked in water, use only 
a small amount, so that it may be served with them. If, however, a 
large amount is used, it must never be thrown away, but should be 
utilized in some way, such as cream soups, cream sauces or gravies. 



8 



Foods which maintain Health and promote Growth. 

What, then, do you ask, are the foods which maintain health and 
promote growth? 

Recent biological experiments have determined that there are three 
such substances. The first is found in milk fat, egg-yolk fat, in leaf 
vegetables, and in animal organs of secretion, such as liver, kidneys, 
etc.; and the second is present in nearly all natural foods, but is not 
found in fat from the animal or vegetable kingdoms, in sugars, com- 
mercial syrups, polished rice or starch. The third is found in fresh 
fruits and vegetables. These substances are popularly known as 
vitamines and technically known as fat-soluble A, water-soluble B, 
and antiscorbutic C. 

The importance in the diet of these substances is clear from the fact 
that a lack of fat-soluble A causes a serious eye disease called xeroph- 
thalmia, which finally results in total blindness, but which can be 
cured, if not too greatly advanced, by the simple addition of butter 
fat to the diet. A lack of water-soluble B causes the disease beri-beri, 
and a lack of antiscorbutic C will cause scurvy. 

Not only does a lack of these three substances result in three specific 
diseases, but it is most important to note that a diet lacking in them, 
or not containing them in sufficient amounts, causes failure of normal 
growth and development, and makes the individual less resistant to 
disease. 

It is necessary, then, to include in the daily diet food containing 
these dietary essentials, and this is especially true in regard to the diet 
of the child. 

The ordinary diet is not likely to be lacking in water-soluble B, 
since it is present in all our natural foods, but in order to provide for 
fat-soluble A we must include daily whole milk or milk fats, egg yolk 
and leaf vegetables, and in order to provide for antiscorbutic C we 
must include fresh fruits and vegetables. In this respect it is interest- 
ing to note that tomato juice ^ has been found to be a very effective 
substitute for orange juice for young babies, and is, in comparison, low 
in cost and easily available. 

Water. 
Let us now consider the question of water in the diet. It regulates 
the temperature of the body, quenches the thirst, and is needed in the 
blood and in every tissue of the body. One of its chief functions, 
however, is to carry off the waste matter. Few people drink too much 
water, but many fail to drink enough. It is a good plan to drink one 
glass the last thing at night and to drink at least six during the day. 

■ American Journal of Diseases of Children, April, 1919, Vol. 17. 



Laxative Foods. 

Something should also be said about the laxative quality of food. 
Often the diet does not contain enough bulky or indigestible, fibrous 
substances to keep the intestines sufficiently full to stimulate muscular 
movements and so keep the body healthy. Such substances are found 
in vegetables, cereals, coarse breads and fruits, which not only furnish 
bulk but acid, which also stimulates the action of the intestines. 

An ideal diet, then, is one which supplies all of the body require- 
ments in the most palatable and easily digested form. It should in- 
clude daily plenty of water, some of the best quality proteins, a 
suitable amount of energy-forming foods, sufficient food depended 
upon for mineral substances, food to maintain health and promote 
growth, and enough coarse food to provide the necessary bulk and to 
help in the elimination of the waste product. 

That the diet should contain each of the food factors is true, but 
that the food should be prepared and served in a manner as attractive 
and appetizing as possible is also important. Cooking develops the 
flavor, changes the food into forms easier to masticate and digest, and 
destroys any bacteria which may be present. Good cooking is really 
the first stage in digestion, and the one the housekeeper can and 
should control. Food that is unappetizing does not stimulate the flow 
of the digestive juices, and is often incompletely digested, or, because 
of its unattractiveness, is not eaten, and so we get much plate waste 
that could be avoided were the food always temptingly served. 

And this is not enough. The body should obtain the right food from 
the very beginning. This means that the expectant mother should eat 
the right food and that the child after birth should be started right 
and should be trained in proper food habits. Children can be taught 
a proper appreciation of food and self-control regarding it, and the 
parents should not fail in this direction. Too often children are 
thoughtlessly indulged as far as food is concerned, and poor health is 
the result. 

The food problem, then, is a real and vital one, and the home maker 
who has her own welfare and that of her family at heart should make 
a thorough study of the food principles, and then apply her knowledge 
to the best of her ability. Hers is a great responsibility and privilege. 
She can render no greater service than that of providing attractive, 
tempting meals, so arranged that they contain all the food elements 
needed in the body. 

The home maker should know the normal weight of every member 
of her family, and if any one of them is below or above the normal 



10 

she should have the family physician give them a thorough physical 
examination to ascertain that they are not suffering from any physical 
defect. If not, she should study their diet and food habits to see if 
the difficulty lies there. 

A person who is in good health and normal in weight has a greater 
capacity for work and a much greater resistance to disease than the 
person who is below par physically. And a person who is already 
suffering from some chronic disease will be able to work longer and 
enjoy life more fully if he is well nourished. 

The old saying, " Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you 
are," is only too true. We must learn to eat to live rather than to 
live to eat. 



